Friday, June 6, 2014

Short Hills Week 3, week 45 Mission

June 2, 2014 Work, work, work fastest week ever

Ok that has to be the fastest week of my entire mission.
Probably on one hand because we had to email on Wednesday but on the other
hand, we were doing some work out here! So much fun to see some real help from
the ward on coming out with us to lessons. We are being so blessed in this area
with finding new investigators too and potentials. My companion loves to talk
to everyone, I mean everyone. He just goes for it. Ha sometimes it takes us
like a half hour to go down the block and get to a lesson. It is the best. We
have contacted so many people and talked to so many people. We were walking by
this lady from Taiwan and as we passed her she said looked at us and said,
"Mormons?" She had learned about Mormon missionaries the night before
at some religious study. She was told that if you see two young men dressed the
same in white shirts walking around, they are probably Mormons. She was super
interested and was fascinated with a modern day prophet. It was a miracle. I
love "getting" contacted.

So last week I mentioned a little about Ru--- and his
family. We slowly made some progress this week. Our family home evening went
quite well. He and his daughter and his wife were there. The wife was pretty
shy and wouldn't answer many questions. We thought we didn't make much of an
impact but on Friday, we were walking by a laundry mat and we saw her and her
daughter and we talked for them. It was the first real time she has actually
wanted to talk to us. She said we could come by the next day. She forgot and
she wasn't there but we are just so stoked because she is opening up to
us. She has never opened up to missionaries before. So we are excited. This
family has some real potential and really nothing holding them back. The head
of the household, Ru---, is already baptized and super strong.

Again(I think I mentioned it last week) I wanted to talk
about one of the most spiritual lessons of my life this past week. We were
teaching this family, The Ro----s, about the Restoration. We watched the short
video with them and then we all testified of the Prophet Joseph Smith and the
power of the Book of Mormon. We really helped them see that we are not trying
to convince them but help them see for themselves by reading the Book of Mormon
and asking God in prayer if it is true. They will know it is true by the
Spirit. Oh man I just love the Book of Mormon. It makes things so simple and
helps people resolve their own concerns. Because if that Book is true, and I
testify that is 100% true, then that means that everything we have to offer and
everything Christ has to offer is true as well. It was such a powerful lesson.

I just love this branch!!! It is like the closets
branch/ward I have ever been in. Everyone is amazing and super helpful and
loving! Our PEC meetings are amazing. The branch presidency and elder's quorum
president and a few others in the meeting are so smart. Its like a special ops
team in there. They know everything about everyone in the ward. Every less
active. Everything. We only have about 80 members active/less active but the
PEC meeting special ops team does some work. I love them. They all have such
cool life stories. Brother Bernal is from Mexico and used to play professional
soccer for a Mexican team. Brother Boggio is straight from Peru, and looks like
he has lived in Peru forever, but he is from Provo! He went to Provo High. SO
funny. And our branch President, President Mercado, is from Chile. He is
awesome and he is like maybe mid thirties.We visited his family last night and
they are just amazing. They have three little kids all younger than like 5. We
also found out that President Mercado works on wall street in NYC. They are the
sweetest little family.

Finally met someone from Venezuela. Never on my whole
mission have met some one from there. Then I met 2 in the same day. I still
haven't met anyone from Panama and Spain. Those are the last two Spanish
Speaking countries from which I haven't met someone. Also, another Jamaica who
believes in Rasta. I didn't know that was a religion but it actually is.

Love this place. Guess what? We were working in a place
called West Orange (about 10 min from the hood, East Orange) last week and we
were driving down main street to an appointment and we past this history
museum/park. I got a glimpse of it and it was the Thomas Edison National
Museum! This is the place that he had his factory and lab. It was a pretty cool
feeling. I was greatly impressed that that was a tender mercy! (We have this animated video about Thomas Edison and his experiments in his lab in Orange, NJ that Ben and his brother used to watch a lot.)

Loving life, I love you all so much. I miss you but LOVE being out here. Glad
to see that the Dad Sam and Mom are biking! Love the garden too. Hope all is
well with you. I pray for you all the time! I love you so much. Thank you for
being the best family and best parents I could ever ask for. I am just excited
for life! This is the best! I love it so - thank you! Thank you for teaching me
so well parents. I love you,